


Most Valuable Player

by AnimusStuff (DarthAnimus)



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure
Genre: Friends crushing on each other, M/M, Peanut Gallery Digimon Partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-13 00:23:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9097339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthAnimus/pseuds/AnimusStuff
Summary: Set after episode 28, “The Chase! Hurry to Japan”.Taichi managed to get his team back home, but he’s still wondering why the job fell on him.





	

The Chosen Children didn't leave the temple grounds immediately after coming to. This was due to a combination of various things. They were all exhausted from their hurdles, they were relieved that they'd gotten through the gate, they were still groggy from being woken up from their teleportation-induced fainting-trip, they just wanted a moment to take it all in. The air was light and there was laughter from both joking around and just how good they all felt in that very moment.

Among all of the good cheer, Taichi glanced at Jyou to see the older boy squeezing his partner Digimon even more tightly against his chest than he usually did. Jyou tended to get clingy with Gomamon, but now it was more pronounced. In sympathy, Taichi rubbed a hand on top of Koromon's head.

"Jyou," Taichi started, abandoning his seat in the grass to move over next to the other, only for Jyou to jump away, looking startled.

"Ah! What? What is it, Taichi?" Jumpy as he was, Jyou's reply was friendly enough and Taichi's lips quirked in a smile.

"There's something I wanted to ask you about."

"Of course," Jyou replied. "What is it?"

"It's about what you said back there," Taichi started, seating himself. Jyou also settled and they let the chatter of the rest of the group pass their attention. 'Back there' was such a flippant way of referring to the world they'd left behind, but it would do. "When you, you know, said you'd follow my lead." Taichi focused fully on Jyou. "Where did that come from?" He wanted to ask what he'd done to deserve such faith, but it wasn't as easy to ask something like that from Jyou as it would have been to ask it from Sora.

Jyou's face scrunched up, as the other boy considered Taichi's question and his answer. Finally he gave Taichi a look that was quite fond, even with how his cheeks reddened with embarrassment. "You really don't get how dependable you are, do you?" Jyou's eyes glanced down, at his partner. Gomamon remained unhelpfully (or helpfully, Taichi was never quite sure which way around it worked for those two) silent and turned back to Taichi to explain: "You're really good at figuring situations out."

Taichi considered the answer, not really finding it satisfactory. "I'm pretty sure Koushirou's the smart one."

"Yes, Koushirou is very clever and good at solving puzzles," Jyou agreed. "But I was talking about finding solutions to problems, making plans to get out of trouble."

"Jyou's terrible at getting out of trouble," Gomamon supplied from his place in Jyou's arms. Jyou shot a narrow-eyed look at his completely unapologetic partner.

"I wouldn't say terrible," Taichi said helpfully, hoping to defuse any fight the two might get into. "You do have good priorities."

"And those good priorities include recognizing when someone is more suited for thinking on their feet." Jyou paused to gather his thoughts for a moment. "I used to think I had to take care of everything and everyone because I'm the oldest, but I know I can count on you. And you know you can count on us."

"I had to learn that, too," Taichi insisted. Koromon mumbled something about modesty in his arms.

"Maybe not," Jyou glanced back at the wooden building they'd taken refuge from a snow storm in so long ago. "It could have something to do with team sports, right? You need to know what your teammates are capable of and take advantage of it."

Taichi considered it, about how he could rely on Jyou to know what was for the best for the well-being of everyone, how he could count of Koushirou to give him the facts, how he trusted in Sora's ability to pull and push everyone together no matter what. He thought he finally understood and smiled. He'd passed his own test of fire and he had the unshakeable faith of Jyou. Taichi figured that, since Jyou was so good at knowing what was for the best, Jyou would be correct when he thought Taichi leading the way was for the best.

"Alright, fair enough," he said. "But if I'm team captain, you're the MVP."

"Em-vee-pee?" Jyou pronounced the foreign term carefully, rolling it around in his mouth. He then smiled at Taichi. "What does that mean?"

It was in the attempt at wording his explanation that Taichi finally felt embarrassed over dubbing Jyou such. Instead he floundered, waved his hands a bit, and finally shrugged helplessly. "It's English," was all he said.

"It's something nice, since he's so embarrassed about it," Koromon added, and Taichi spluttered.

Jyou laughed long and hard at that, the sound rising and falling spontaneously. "Thanks," he eventually managed to say between chuckles.

Taichi's lips quirked into a helpless smile. "You're welcome." He looked between their Digimon partners, who were both giving Taichi expectant looks. He lifted his gaze back to meet Jyou's eyes. "Thank you, too."

Jyou blinked. "Hm? For what?"

"You know," Taichi allowed himself to slip sideways, to bump his arm against Jyou's. "For believing in me."

"Oh, n-no problem." Jyou hesitated a moment, before trying to mimic Taichi's friendly side bump. He ended up leaning over too far and slumped practically on top of Taichi. "Ack, sorry!"

"It's fine." It was. Taichi had anticipated the slip and caught a hold of Jyou's arm to keep them both upright. "Feel free to lean on me."

The expression on Jyou's face turned more sober. "I figure I already do." A crooked smile came to his face then. "But, likewise."

"Yeah, sure," Taichi said, a touch breathlessly. "Let's do that." They could prop each other up, like a team.


End file.
